The following letter was received from Tea Party organizer and House of Delegates candidate Patrick McGrady:
Editor,
Since July 2005, the Harford County government has levied an Impact Tax on every new home construction permit. The idea of the Impact Tax seems noble enough- the money raised from the tax goes into the Harford County Public Schools Capital Budget account so that it must be used only for new school development, property acquisition, or school renovation. These homebuyers are being unfairly double-taxed, this tax is keeping productive construction projects on hold, and this is keeping hard-working Harford County workers out of work on and State Unemployment rolls.
Here in Harford County, we pay property taxes at the County and municipal level. On a home that is assessed at $250,000, the annual County portion of taxes amount to $2,705. This tax amount is the property owner’s share of the County Government, including school construction. They move here and are willing to pay this amount, growing at 5% per year. Why should we burden them with an additional tax assigned to them before they get here?
The damage that this “Home Buyer’s Tax” does to the thousands of Harford Countians who want to buy homes in the county is far greater than the benefit provided to the HCPS Capital Budget. Without this tax, we will still build new schools, and we will still borrow money through bonds to break up the payments over time. The “Home Buyer’s Tax” was imposed only four years ago as a knee-jerk reaction to budget crisis. It is no longer needed.
Supporters of this legislation will challenge the repeal bill as hurting our children. As a former HCPS student, I know that our teachers, students, and facilities are great. I have no doubt that the HCPS will continue to be great without this tax. When people move here, they pay property taxes – that is their portion of the school construction cost.
This Tax isn’t about schools; it’s about jobs. Our plumbers, electricians, drywallers, roofers, and general contractors are starving for work and this tax is keeping them hungry. Repealing this tax is a great way to stimulate the local economy with no cash outlay required.
I fully support making people pay for costs that they incur. For example, if a new home being built on a farm requires water, sewer, and road construction, there should be a tax levied on the owner to pay for it. But this tax is simply an arbitrary one-size-fits-all approach to generating infrastructure revenue and should be repealed.
Please join me in calling for the Harford County Council to pass Bill 09-29 to repeal the Home Buyer’s Tax. The tax is as unfair today as it was four years ago and repealing the tax will create jobs for Harford County. We will be holding a Tax Repeal Rally at the Council Chambers before the County Council meeting on October 20th starting at 6:00PM.
Patrick McGrady
I like this guy.
Oh but wait! Hold your horses! Lil’ Pat McGrady is now denying he is a Tea Party member let alone organizer or Campaign for Liberty board member. He wants to distance himself from the crazies. The next thing he’ll do is move back into his parents basement after not being able to make it on his own in one of his parents’ apartments.
Can we really expect McGrady to grow up in time to represent us in Annapolis? Maybe we should wait till he turns 24 years old and gets of the teat and makes his own way?
Olvia
Patrick is a bit naive and has allowed himself to be used by Nancy Jacobs to do much of her campaign work this election season. Unfortunately for him he will find out just how shallow her loyalty is when he looses in the general election and she does not need him any longer. Even if he manages to get elected she will play him like a fiddle to do her dirty work in the House of Delegates. Nancy only looks out for Nancy. While Helton will not get my vote neither will Jacobs. Still undecided about Patrick but as we get closer to the election I am leaning farther away.
No, the more I think about it McGrady will not get my vote. He is too reactionary, we need more level headed representatives in Annapolis. Perhaps with age he will season a bit more and I will reconsider. He’s just not ready now. Plus the Jacobs thing really bothers me.
I don’t feel like I’m too reactionary. What do you mean?
Nice of you to admit you’re reactionary and that is your problem.
You are not qualified to represent the people of 34A in Annapolis. We need people that have life experience, had a real job, a family and are not waiting to inherit their grandparent’s, mommy’s and daddy’s money and Edgewood low income housing real estate empire.
Nothing against 23 year olds, but they haven’t lived long enough to know much of anything in the real world other than what’s on “MTV’s The Real World”.
Olivia
a republican
Lil Paddy McGrady is just too much of risk since he isn’t just inexperienced he hasn’t lived long to possess any life experience. We need adult supervision in Annapolis and we can’t send this boy!
Heck just Saturday it was rumored that funny Lil Paddy put doggy doo in a paper bag and set afire on some woman’s porch? Do I believe the rumor, no, but it does sound like something Lil Paddy might do.
Olivia
We used to call it wisdom.
Patrick McGrady could learn on the job, right? What do we have to lose if we give the little whippersnapper a shot? Just consider Justin Bieber and look how well he’s doing.
Wait a minute I am 16 years old, have a job and support my parents. What has Patrick McGrady done?
Justin Bieber
Pat McGrady is a fine young man who will not win his 34A election. Some likely voters were asked about Pat McGrady’s experience and they said he was not prepared to hold office. Voters want experience and Pat McGrady hasn’t got any.
Steven M.
Sounds like sour grapes. How did Patrick do you wrong? Did he beat you in a primary? Or did you lose your Democratic Primary?
No sour grapes. The tea is just a little too strong for my taste. Just like wine needs time to mellow so does McGrady. He has run an energetic campaign which people have noticed. And may prove to be an up-and-comer in the Republican Party. As for me I’m not saying never, just not now.
It’s the economy stupid! Get the tea bags out of your ears. Repealing the Impact Fee will lower existing home values even lower than they are now. The housing industry problems are a national trend in a bad economy. Harford County is not immune. To repeal the Impact Fee now is stupid. Look at our congested roads for example. How did they get that way? Duh! Use your head for once instead of having tea bags dangle from your ears.
Curious that you support “tax and spend” Guthrie on this bill. Will you also support his “Tennant Rights Bill” that goes after slum landlords, like you.
I am curious to know how exactly will repealing the impact fee lower existing home values? We are currently in a housing slump but in the last couple years housing values have almost doubled. The congested roads are because of previous over development that was allowed to go unchecked. This bill isn’t affecting the big builders, open your Aegis to the building permits and see who is still building. It’s hurting the family that has to scrimp and save to come up with the money to pay the impact fee. The big builder can just pass of the fee and it doesn’t hurt them one bit.
Slum landlord aint the half of it. HUD disallowed McGrdy’s apartments to be used for Section 8 housing because they fell below HUD’s standards.
patrick McGreedy does not believe in govt, but would have us believe that he has the answers to make govt more responsible and accountable. these folks feel that govt takes money and provides no meaningfull service, and now they want to help run it to the ground.
Dave D. unless you have proof of your claims, you should not spew such stupidity.
cisco: same for you. The gov’t is by the people, for the people and of the people…you did not step up to serve, so keep your lack of knowledge to yourself.
Mr. McGrady has chosen to try to better the existing gov’t and his efforts are appreciated both by the lucky property owners whose prop. taxes were reduced by 4% cap this year, due to citizen efforts and the TEA Parties/ rallies that were held. The citizens elected the council/exec. and hopefully will make their wishes known about the impact fees and show up on Tues. 10/20/09 at the council office at 6:00pm and stay for the council meeting.
Some un-asked for advise for both of you, cisco and dave d is if you can’t say anything nice keep your mouth shut.
Toby stop violating other’s first ammendment rights!
Toby Sanchex,
Typical tea bag response. When you disagree with another’s opinion you try and SHOUT over them, when you do speak you spout out half truths of your leader Rush Limbaugh and then when others do offer an opposing opinion you say “keep your mouth shut”
toby
i suppossed because you won one last year you think that you can just abolish all taxes and have the govt just pay for things by borrowing money ala george bush….look at what that brought this country?
I agree with Mr. McGrady on this one. For those of you who support the impact fee do you know for a fact that the money that goes to the BOE is actually spent on new school construction(Cindy?)? The most glaring issue I have with the impact fee is that the money generated from a new house in Havre de Grace does not stay in Havre de Grace. So did Bulle Rock help pay for PMHS? Where will the money come from to upgrade HDGHS? More houses in Bel Air? Always thought the fairest way was an increase in the transfer tax on all homes – new and resale – in today’s market the County/BOE would be collecting more revenue than it is since there is very little new construction.